View From The Stands: United Fan On Victory Over Schalke

April 27, 2011

The Veltins-Arena (The Auf Schalke Arena for UEFA’s sponsorship purposes), Gelsenkirchen, host of the 2004 Champions League final, where Ronaldo winked, Rooney saw red, England crashed out and the re-birth of a siege mentality that Fergie used to take United to 3 league title and 1 European cup within the following 3 years.

Gelsenkirchen is only a small city, with a population of around 250,000, so staying in Dusseldorf, 40 minutes away was the best place for a hotel, although plenty of reds headed for Dortmund. Dusseldorf is about twice as big as Gelsenkirchen and had plenty of bars.

The hotel was nice. Best of all, one of the TV channels was showing non-stop reruns of the wins over Chelsea. They obviously knew we were coming and were prepared to entertain us.

We ended up spending the Monday night down by the river, place was full of bars and restaurants, not many reds though, the majority seeming to arrive on the Tuesday, and stay the night of the game. Germans love their kebabs as well, so finding something to soak up the alcohol was little problem.

It took until we got into Gelsenkirchen on the afternoon of the game before we saw masses of reds, but when we found them, they had clearly taken the town centre by storm. Just stepping off the tram at the main station you only had to follow the sound of ‘Ooh Aah, Cantona!’ to find where the reds were.

The ground is out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by some sort of forest, so shuttle buses and taxis ferried reds to the ground, with the trams reserved for home fans. The buses were buzzing and the atmosphere was building. United were one step from Wembley and we could almost smell it.

Security was tight once we got to the ground, tickets being checked often. I almost had my glasses taken off of me at one point, one steward made me take my flag out and checked it and its bag for ages before letting me past, but I did get past eventually, unlike one poor ticketless lad who was rugby tackled by a female police officer and carted off after he had jumped the barriers.

Once in the ground, you could tell the locals were up for it. They were all in their seats, singing, flag waving, building the atmosphere. With smoking and drinking allowed inside the ground home fans weren’t leaving it until last minute to go in. A pitch side announcer called out the starting XI’s first names, the crowd giving surnames en masse. This was the one the fans had been waiting for, they wanted United, this was their big night. Unfortunately for them, only one player, a player who appears destined for a summer exit, was prepared to stand up and be counted.

As the game got underway the home fans were getting behind their side, with 2,900 reds struggling to be heard in the corner of the ground, but as United started to open up the German defence the home crowd let their volume drop slightly.

Carrick sat deep in the midfield, with Giggsy’s 37 year old legs doing the running around him. Park started left, with Rooney off Hernandez, but often the 2 switched, and Rooney cut in from the left to cause Neuer an early scare with a curling shot, but the German number 1 was equal to it, and tipped it away after just two and a half minutes. Neuer took the resulting corner without any fuss, despite Hernandez providing him with a little red obstacle in the 6-yard box.

Park was the next to test the big German, his shot parried and Hernandez throwing himself at it, but the Mexican, as he is so often, was flagged offside.

United nearly struck again 8 minutes later, Evra’s poor ball cut out yet not cleared, Park then slid in the Mexican for a one-on-one with Neuer, but the German this time used his backside to hold the ball up before jumping on the loose ball.

It was Hernandez again on 20 minutes, the Germans again not clearing after a long ball from the Mexican, who pulled a left footed shot wide, this wasn’t quite the Hernandez United fans were used to seeing, but he was getting chances and surely he would have to take one.

Hernandez’s next chance came courtesy of Valencia, the winger sliding a ball into an acre of space between 2 Schalke defenders, but Chicharito was unable to get the ball under control, before firing wide from a tight angle, followed by a display of frustration from the kid, this wasn’t going to be his night.

United’s next chance was possibly the defining moment of the night for Manuel Neuer, as Giggs headed from close range, only for the German to pull a Schmiechel-esque stop from point-blank range to deny the Welshman. The noise rose in the United corner of the ground with each miss, the reds desperate for the team to find their way past the big shot-stopper, but it remained 0-0 at half time.

First chance of the second half fell to Evra, of all people, who flicked on a Giggs free kick at the front post, but Neuer had a comfortable save to make. It was then Giggs himself who missed the next chance, failing he connect properly with a right-footed shot after creating the space for himself in the box.

But on 66 minutes United won a throw 25 yards out. It made its way back to Rio who swept it back wide to Evra, into Rooney, who drew in 3 midfielders, including the player who was tracking the run of Giggs, dummied the pass then played a perfectly weighted through ball to the veteran midfielder, who then calmly slid it under the keeper to become the oldest scorer in Champions League history, and give United an away goal. Complete chaos in the away end, United had the lead in Germany and had one foot in the final. We would have settled for that.

But just a few moments later a long ball from Edwin caught the Germans flat-footed, Valencia squared to Hernandez, inside to Rooney, who was in behind the big Hannibal Lector lookalike at centre half, back of the net, 2-0, bedlam.

Rooney isn’t happy at United? He was then, he had erased any memory of 2006, of that sending off, he thanked Hernandez with a smile on his face, the two front men that are starting to become the new Cole-Yorke combination of the current generation.

With United 2-0 up, Fergie removed Park, Hernandez and then Rooney, clearly 3 players that will feature at the Emirates on Sunday, in a game that could all but wrap up the title should Tottenham and the world’s greatest player pull off a win at Chelsea, but I’m not getting my hopes up.

The United corner of the ground spent the remainder of the game singing of our date at Wembley, one foot in the final, not over yet but you have to be confident, and that’s what reds were, singing all the way down a maze of tunnels and back to our coaches.

Schalke fans in contrast trudged away, their players giving a lap of honour, almost looking resigned to exiting the competition next week.

Despite the horrors of Munich, Dortmund and Leverkusen you have to be confident that United will be returning to Wembley for their 5th European cup final, 43 years after ’68, after Busby and Charlton led us to the promised land, this time with Sir Alex and Giggs at the helm.

Yup, if there is one thing we need for the possible final against Barca then it is pace. The guys at talksport are actually talking some sense at the moment. If that cheatfest and brawl would have been between two english teams UEFA would have a field day with bans being thrown left and right.

1) United will have Fletcher
2) United won't have Ronaldo trying to be a one man show
3) Rooney will be in the center rather then wasted on the left
4) United have Hernandez
5) Barcelona aren't as good as they were in 09 (in my opinion)
6) United will win :D

" am so glad we have a great manager who always plays football a positve way! "

Yeah, except against Arsenal. And Barcelona. And any team better than United, lol.

It's going to be a humiliating final for United and British football. The standard bearer of English football being humiliated in front of hundreds of millions of people at Wembley, being reduced to rugby long balls from behind the bus.

I'm gonna be in london for the final, going to try my best to get a ticket but I'm sure there will be loads of reds around wembley, and when the match is finished and trophy won/lost, all those in the stadium can come out and celebrate/commiserate with reds around wembley

Theres plenty more twists in the tale yet. I wonder how many players will be suspended for Barcelona in the final. There must have been 60 free kicks in that game. It was a joke, first El Classico I've watched start to finish in 8-9 years. I'll give it another 8-9 before I watch another.

Ronaldo became a player that had to be the be all and end all of the team

He had to be the centre point and he had to be the one

This wasn't a bad thing - he took his game to a level where he flourished for United

But the 08 summer began the long road to the end.

Of course he was brilliant the year after but he was never the same - we always felt something was missing with him and it culminated with the final where he had to strop like anything to just walk out.

If you contrast this with Messi then it's simple - love him loathe him - but because of his allegiance to his team and that is all that I am talking about - because of that he has raised his game higher.

Ronaldo - though gone now having his dream will never be the same player - yes he will score shit loads of goals but he will do that as well as Messi because La Liga is easy - what Ronaldo did in the cut and thrust of the premiership was truly mind blowing - what he does in La Liga is now is just a cat and mouse game between him and Messi.

Manchester United last year seemed unbelievable when Rooney was blasting goals away - but in a sense looking back at it what happened to him changed the face of United again

And what Rooney did to us - changed it further

And when Sir Alex took Rooney and put him into the Sheringham hole - then we saw another United altogether.

Of course we are blessed that we have Hernandez - if anything he'll rip that Barcelona defence wide open - and for that I can't wait.

But one thing is for sure we will not have half fit players as mentioned - and this time they will come at us and every player will be playing in their rightful positions.

We have our chance - the time has finally come.

It was after all Ronaldo's choice - this is what he wanted - he deserves everything he gets now - if United win the CL without Ronaldo - we should have then sold him when he started throwing his toys out of his pram.

Way off topic.
What the fuck was going on tonite in Madrid. I wonder what would happen if Scholes, Nani, Rooney at the rest surrounded the ref after each and every whistle. It is amazing. Stick the fuckin card up every Barcaplayer every time they approach the ref. Pep´s dirty divers can´t keep doing this. It wasn´t football that was played over there tonite. The game that is played in UK is not evn the same sport as what was going on down there. I am so pissed off at those primadonnas that, god knows, is good footballers, try to get every single opportunity to cheat, yell, spit, and hurt eachother in absurdum.

I just hope that the ref will be a hardassat Wembley if we make the cut. A independent ref that aren´t bought by UEFA or FA or some other shit organaization. I actually would prefer a female ref that can put the foot down and don´t take the shit that Macherano, Alves, Messi, Villa are up to all game long.

Heard all this talk before the 09 final, lets just go out and fucking do it. And, if we're not good enough and barring any intervention by the referee, we should magnanimous in defeat. I do fancy us, if we can see off the threat of Messi.

giggs and fletcher maybe interchanging on the left, while rooney sits deep in the hole denying the midgets space, but I do not want fergie leaving park out. So it is a problem, does fergie go with anderson instead of fletcher, aprk instead of nani or giggs. But giggs has been in such sensational form the boss has a phew decisions to make

United are a totally different animal to the team of 09 We are a unit and a vastly superior one with strength and skill all over the pitch from back to front and I for one can hardly wait.Come to that I can hardly wait for the Two teams from Spain's second leg how many cards will be the final tally how many of their players are going to miss the final through suspension I'm guessing Two.

for all their hatred of the Facists, Barcelona are a very cocky arrogant lot. ABU will be in FULL swing convinced the Spaniards will beat us again, but truth is we just didn't show up. I for one can't see that happening twice, not with United, and not with the same core of players.

are u saying messi will not have the ball? cus if so then you are quiet deluded cus we all know messi will have the ball at times and in dangerous positions I might ad so its going to take organization, concentration and alot of focusing on each players responsibility to close the spaces don't and to use position effectively as I alluded earlier.

Is anyone else sick of every mention of Giggs focusing on his age? He's made it clear he doesn't like constant talk about his age in post match interviews and it's rather irritatingly redundant at this point.

I can hardly believe all the comments. This was the same on 2009 and then we were crashed. Barcelona are very dangerous and they do what’s required to win any game. They knew that real will be forceful so they went for play acting. Now they are through with a game in hand. We on another hand have been pathetic in too many games especially against teams with decent midfields. After one good game against a shity Scalke team we are already talking about destroying Barca. Barca plays a very boring but fucking effective type of football. I am not saying we can’t win, but we are underdogs. All of this big talk is uncalled for.

I really don’t know how we can win against Barca. We really need a master plan and I trust SAF to come with something. Also the guys better be prepared to give their lives on that day. Before then we do need to wrap up title and with lot you can be sure they will make it hard.

Its time for backlash..SAF would have been waiting for this opportunity since he lost to them..He won't make the same mistakes that he did the last time..The team is well balanced and all of them will be looking for revenge..

p.s..message to mourinho..Now that you are out of the CL..please ask one of your players to smash sergio biscuits face and pedro's leg in the 2nd leg..

I tell you what I find hilarious. Real Madrid are still a good side and yet Barca do them 2-0 with play acting and they're through with a game in hand. We dominate Schalke for 90 minutes and do them 2-0 and "the tie is in the balance."

We still need to keep our feet on the ground and stop being so cocky in regards to Barcelona, I do think we will win, this time we have players who shouldn't be fucking off elsewhere at the end of the season unlike in 09 where we had Ronaldo and the argie troll. We will definitely give a better account of ourselves and this time we'll be underdogs and in 91 we were underdogs and we won. We won't piss al over them, it will be a tight game and we'll need to make our chances count.

@orez..people will write us off..I have no doubt of that..If they beat us fair and square then i have no issues but I'm sure they won't do that because it's not possible for them to win against proper teams without that play acting non sense..they have one of the greatest actors in their side..Sergio "motherfucker" biscuits..besides they are very bad travellers so I do see Utd beating them at wembley..

Orez. So what do you want us to do instead of the fighting talk? We didn't turn up on rome and had far too many injuries and players out of position. Coupled with ronaldo. We should have been two up till etoo scored then the game changed. You say we have been poor in midfield against decent teams. On the contrary. Our midfield always turn up in the big games, anfield aside. We aint some fucking two bit club mate as well you know. With united anything is possible. Never seen the players look so focussed. We are well capable of beating these jumped up little cunts assuming its us two in the final.

It is going to drive me mad all the folk writing us off. I have a sneaky suspicion barca will be too confident. Fuck sake. Messi saying back in january its between them chelsea and madrid. Don't think so Lionel and barring a disaster can you say barca have made three of the last finals? No thought not.

Orangebox. Fuck off you cunt. At least as united fans we have the pleasure of very possibly watching our lads play in their third EUROPEAN CUP FINAL in three years. Can you say the same about your club? Fuck off you jealous bitter cunt.

orez - we have what madrid never had, players with energy that will do their jobs but can attack and play football at the same time. Say fletcher gets fit and plays amazing now until the rest of the season, pencil him in for another energetic player but can play football is well. Madrid do not have valencia park fletcher if he gets fit match fit, rooney hernandez who all work hard but can play a bit to, maybe anderson pending if he does have some crackers now until the end of the season, he is another. They had pepe diarra who dont have any teqnical skills which made madrid look like such a pub side. Who knows maybe we wont win, we will have to wait and see

wasn't saying anything profound with Messi mate, just noting he doesn't score when he doesn't have the ball, naturally. But I will say this, im not convinced about all the hype surrounding Barca. A nil-nil, a nil-nil in normal time, and what looked like another 0-0 tonight till the card. Hardly all conquering against seasoned opposition. Add the fact they faced elimination by Arsenal till the dodgy red card, and you might see where im coming from.

We've already hit our top form and played some brilliant football this year regardless of what the Press report. Its all a question of putting in a performance, thats all I ask, after that what will be will be. Barca should be respected, like all teams, but not feared. Look at United. We've got goal threats all over the pitch and boast the best defensive record away from home in Europe. We shouldn't fear anyone.

I am practically sick of people falling head over heels for Barcelona and their "pretty" football. I am all for respecting Barcelona's attack to the extent that they can beat us on their day. But that is about it.

I am a staunch believer in Ferguson's philosophy - That on our day Manchester United are the best club in the world and we can beat anyone. He said these same things without flinching when asked whether United will find it difficult if drawn against Barcelona or Real Madrid. He said if he though United would find it difficult, he wouldn't be managing us would he (or something similar but you get my point).

People are talking as if this is going to be an impossible mountain to climb and that United have to be at 100% and that Barcelona have to have an off day. All a load of shit to me. Fact is as I've repeatedly stated on ROM, this match starts out as every match starts out, as a 50-50 between two evenly matched teams. For all the people praising how difficult it is going to be for United to stop them, people are not saying how difficult it is going to be for them to score agaisnt us.

If you don't trust Manchester United to do the job that they are capable of, then you are not fit to be a United fan, I am sorry to say this. There is a lot of difference between saying this is going to be very difficult for us (as it will be Barcelona to beat the best defense in Europe) and saying we are not going to beat Barcelona unless a miracle happens. That crosses the line between respecting and fearing your opposition and I am not sure you support Manchester United if you are actually frightened of your opponents.

As for Barca they are a good team but they are playing most of their games with inferior opposition in Laliga giving them a fake belief in themselves if average Arsenal can stand up to them then what of United at Wembly. We wont break a sweat!!!

Hopefully,we a'int gonna play the way Real played yesterday...from the outset,when the possession was 71% to Barca and 29% to Real and with all the playacting going on all around the pitch,i already knew Los Blancos were gonna end up with 10 or even 9 men. And i'd say if there's anything we should have learnt yesterday,its that Attack is the best form of defence. Allowing and inviting Barca players to swoop down on you cuz you're tryna defend is only gonna end in Penalties,yellow cards,red cards and own goals. And for once,i felt UEFA should actually instruct the ref to brandish red/yellow cards to anyone who runs towards the ref to complain without being the captain cuz that takes the thrill out of the game for me. If they want to play a game without the slightest of contacts and shoving,let 'em fuckin' go and play golf or lawn tennis!

the 3 Lung park will have a major role in this game, if SAF wants a decent attack then he will surely start with park on the wings, Carrick screening the back four and Giggsy in the middle of the park..

we do need Chicha, his movements and runs are bound to split the defence plus he will make sure teh defenders are in teh right place unlike the madrid game where puyol and pique were way too forward..

i dont care about the outcome, all i want is UTD to show and perform like a powerhouse and when we do that, the cry babies are not a match to us, let the ABU cunts write what they want..